Container



Feb. 19, 1935. A F. wEsTl-:RBECK 1,991,969

CONTAINER Filed May 2, 19252 lllllIlllIlIlll/Lvllllllllllll' @Trop/Vix Patented Feb. 19, 1935 CONTAINER u Frederick Westerbeck,

University City, Ma.;

Northwestern Trust Company and Emil J. Westerbeckexecutors of said Westerbeck, de.-

. Application May 2, 1932, serial No. 608,576

" 3 claims. Y(ci. 22o- 54) This inventionrelates to containers zand more specifically it relates to sheet metal cans which may be easily and effectively sealed in a vacuum.

One of the objects of this invention is to pro' wherein the closure may be severed from thevcon-V tainer body and removed and then reseated ont-he container body to effectively seal the container.

Another object of this invention is to provide the bottom closure of a container with a baille to prevent the contents of the container from being withdrawn withthe airwhen the air Ais being exhausted from the interior of the con-` tainer. 9

A further object is to produce a bottom closure which may be frictionally secured to thecontainer body afterthe air has been exhausted to prevent the admission of air both before' and during the period in which the bottom` closure is seamed to the body of the container.

With the foregoing and other objectsin'view.' thev invention comprises lthe novel construction,

combination and arrangement of parts herein-` the preferred Vembodiment of the invention.

However, it is to be understood thatthe invention comprehends changes; variationsy and 'modifications which come within the Vscope of the claims hereunto appended. Y

Fig. 1 is a top View of a containerembodying the features of thisinvention.

Fig. 2 is a side view showing the container in a sealed condition. v

Fig. 3 is atop view of a seamless collar adapted to be located within the container.

. Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectakenV on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged Vertical section taken on the' line 55of Fig. 1. Y

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section showing the position the bottom closure may occupy when the air is being exhausted from the container body. Y

In the drawing '7 vdesignates a cylindrical can body having its upper edge 8 seamed to a top closure 9. The body portion 'l may be provided with grooves 10 substantially below its upper margin 11 to provide a weakened portion or removable tearing strip 12. The tearing strip 12 may be provided with a tongue 13, as shown in Fig. 2, whereby the tearingstrip 12 may be removed to sever the top closure 9 from the body portion 7. When this .strip is removed, the upper margin 11 of said body portion 7 provides closure flange depending from the top seam to frictionally engage the outer face of a seamless collar 14.

This seamless collar 14 may be located within the cylindrical body portion 7 and surrounded by the upper margin llrand tearing strip .12, as shown in Fig. 5. The seamless collar 14 may be pro` videdwith a substantially horizontal inturned baille flange 15 at its upper portion and a downturned innerV friction member 16 at thev inner edge of saidinturned baffle flangel. As shown in Figures 4 and5, the `lower edgeof the fric.- tion member 16 may be folded at 17 to provide a rounded surface to prevent injury to the hands of the user.

The top closure 9 is provided with an annular friction vmember inthe form of a downwardly extending portion 18 which frictionally engages the downturned inner friction member 16 on the seamless collar 14.`V Y

The outer face of the seamless collar is pro-9 vided with a friction Vsurface 19 frictionally engaged by the upper margin 11 of the body por. tion 7. The seamless collar may be beaded to the body portion 7 in an annular area 20 below said tearing strip 12 sothat the seamless lcollar will be secured to the body portion after the tearing strip 12 hasbeen removed. u l i lA bottom closure 21 may'beprovided -with` a channel shaped outer margin 22, whichis adapted to be seamed to' the lower :edge 23 of the body portion '1, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. If it is desired, a sealing material 27 may be located v in the channel shaped outer margin to effectively seal the seam. The bottom closure 21 may be provided with an integral annular twofply baiile flange 24 having an inwardly inclined folded lower edge 25.

When the air is to be exhausted from thebody portion, the container is inverted and placed in any suitable vacuum chamber and the bottom closure 21 is loosely locatedon the container so that the lower portion of the flange 24 extends into the can body 7. The air may then be exhausted from the interior of the container and the baffle flange 24 will prevent the contents of the can from being withdrawn with the air.

After the air has been exhausted from the interior of the container, the bottom closure may be forced downwardly onto the body portion so that the baille flange 24 occupies a position, such as shown in Fig. 5. The baille flange 24 is pro- SDL.

' USST.

vided with a friction face 26, which engages the inner face 28 of the body portion '7 to prevent the admission of air to the interior of the container.

The bottom closure may then be seamed to the lower edge 23 of the body portion 7 with any suitable seaming device. Y Y v i.

When thecontainer ls in a sealed condition, such as shown in Figf, the container may be opened by removing the tearing strip 12 and lifting off the closure 9. The Iiange 15 on the seamless ring 14 will serve as a baile to limit the dis-V charge of the contents of the container. This is a very substantial advantage in pouring coffee and other material from 'i115 YContainer whenit is full, or almost full, as the inturned baffle flange then prevents, or reduces, the spilling which ordinarily results in accidental discharge of too much of the material poured from a full can. U

When the closure is replaced on Vthe body portion 7, thexdownturned flange 16 on the seamless collar 14 will -frictionally engage the depressed portionl of the closure, and the outer face 19 of seamless collaryM will frictionally engage the margin 11 to effectively' secure and seal the closure to the body portion 7 of the container.

. A double seal is thus formed between the closure and theinner and outer faces of the collar 14, and this aids in'preserving the flavor-and Aaroma of thecoifee after the tearing strip 12 Vis removed.

. This separate collar 14 not only provides the inturned baffle flange 15, and the double friction,

seal at Vits elements 16 and 19, butit also serves as a shield to prevent injury to the hands ofthe When the tearing strip Al2 is removed, there is a sharp `edgeA at the top of the can body 'lwhich-surrounds thecollar 14, but the collar extends upwardly from this sharp edge and provides a smooth surface at the top ofthe can body. The elements of the-simplev collar 14 thus perform three separate and distinct functions inpreventing injury to the user, forminga double friction seal to preserve the contents of the containen-.and providing a baffleilto prevent the usual excess spilling when the material is poured from the container. Y.

Iclaim: Y w j p vl. A vacuuml can comprising abody portion,-a topclosure memberl searned to the upper edge of said body portion, andf a'seamless collar located within said body portionand surrounded bythe upper margin thereof, said seamless collar being provided with an.r inturned baffle flange and a downturned inner flange at the innerY edge of said inturned baille flange, sai body portion being provided with a weakened portion to provide a removable tearing strip, said weakened portion being substantially below the seamed portions o1' said closure and upper edge of said bodyportion to provide a substantial friction seal between the closure and the seamless collarwhen said tearing strip is removed. j

2. A vacuum can comprising a cylindrical body portion, a top closure member seamed to the upper edge of said body portion, a seamless collar located within said cylindrical body and surrounded by the upper margin thereof, said seamless collar havingja substantially horizontal inturned bailleY flange at its upper portion and a downturned inner 'friction member at the inner edge of said inturnedY baffle flange, said downturned friction member being folded at its lower edge to provide a rounded surface, said top closure being provided with an inwardly extended portion frictionallyengagin'g said inturned baffle flange and a downwardly extended portion frictionally engaging said downturned inner friction member, said cylindrical body portion being grooved a substantial distancebelow the seamed portions of said Vclosure member and cylindricalY body portion to provide a remoVa-bletearing strip, the outer face of said seamless collar-#being provided With a ,friction surface; ,frictionally engagedf by said'upper marginof-the cylindrical body portion in-the substantial areaA above said removable tearing` strip, and said seamless collar being beaded to said cylindrical body portion in an annular area below said `tearing strip.

3. A vacuum can comprising a body portion, a

top closure member seamed tothe upper edge ofl l said-,body portion, said body portion having a weakened portion substantially below its upper margin to provide a removable tearing strip, and

a seamless collar located within said body-porl flange depending from the seam tofrictionally engage the outer -face Vof Asaid seamless collar when the tearing strip is removed, and said seamless collar being secured to said body portion be- Vlow said weakened portion.

FREDERICK WESTERBECK. 

